Meta executives to reappear before Australian Parliament as news content ban looms

Two senior Meta executives will face a parliamentary inquiry for the second time, as concerns grow over social media's impact on society and Meta's handling of news content in Australia. According to multiple Australian media outlet reports, the social media giant’s vice president and global head of safety, Antigone Davis, and regional director of policy, Mia Garlick, are scheduled to appear before the parliamentary social media committee in Canberra on Wednesday afternoon (4 September).

Their appearance follows a June hearing where Garlick avoided confirming whether Facebook would ban news in Australia, stating, “all options are on the table.” This comes after Meta announced it would not renew deals under the News Media Bargaining Code, which requires the company to pay publishers for news content on the platform.

According to reports by The Australian newspaper, Sharon Claydon, the new chair of the social media committee, said she intends to probe Meta on the claims made during the previous hearing. “Australians are increasingly concerned about the influence and impact of social media on so many areas of our society, including our mental health, wellbeing, safety, and social cohesion,” said the Labour MP. Claydon also expressed interest in clarifying Meta's decision to halt its agreements with Australian news outlets.

In June, Garlick defended Meta's decision, explaining, “We have made that announcement that we are deprecating the Facebook news product. We are still paying out the deals that supported that product.” However, she refrained from offering details about future plans, citing the lack of guidance from the government.

Garlick has also defended Meta’s processes, including its handling of misinformation and scam complaints, but acknowledged that all content moderation centres are located outside Australia.

This follows Meta's announcement in June 2024 that it is considering blocking news content in Australia if the government forces the platform to pay licensing fees. Meta has previously struck deals with major Australian media outlets, including News Corp and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, but has indicated it will not renew these arrangements beyond 2024.

Australia's assistant treasurer now holds the decision-making power to enforce the 2021 law, which allows the government to set the fees US tech giants must pay to media outlets. Meta has been criticised for only complying with regulations when convenient, according to government officials. Meanwhile, major broadcasters like Nine Entertainment and Seven West Media have announced job cuts, attributing the revenue loss from expiring Meta deals.